Chap, ii.] 



TIABITS OF CRABS. 



43 



a heavy rolling surf was breaking, I encountered a Sand-crab 

 {Ocypoda ippeus), which was walking aljout, and got between it 

 and its hole in the dry sand above the beach. The crab was a 

 large one, at least three inches in breadth of its carapace. In 

 this species of crab, the eyestalks are very long. The eyes are 

 on the side of the stalks, which are longer than eyes, and 

 projecting above theni are terminated by a tuft of hairs. 

 \\ hen the animal is on the alert, these long eyestalks are 

 erected and stand up vertically side by side far above the level 

 of the animal's back. 



With its curious long column-like eyes erect the crab bolted 

 down towards the surf as the only escape, and as it saw a wave 



OCYPODA IPPEUS. 

 (About half natural size.) 



rushing up the shelving shore dug itself tight into the sand, 

 and held on to prevent the undertow from carrying it down 

 into the sea. As soon as the wave had retreated, it made off 

 full speed along the shore. I gave chase, and whenever a 

 wave approached, the crab repeated the manoeuvre. I once 

 touched it with my hand whilst it was buried and blinded by 

 the sandy water, but the surf compelled me to retreat, and I 

 could not snatch hold of it for fear of its powerful claws. At 

 last I chased it, hard pressed, into the surf in a hurry, and 

 being unable to get proper hold in time it was washed down 

 into the sea. 



The crab evidently dreaded going into the sea. These 



